By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Only 11 countries of the total 54 in Africa have so far escaped coronavirus infection, but the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned the continent to prepare for the worst.
In the top five by the evening of March 23 were South Africa with 402 cases, Egypt (294), Algeria (201), Morocco (109), Tunisia (75), and Burkina Faso (75).
There are now more than 1,400 confirmed cases and more than 40 deaths across the continent, where a number of countries are imposing a range of prevention and containment measures against the spread of the pandemic, according to africanews.
Latest data from the WHO says the breakdown remains fluid as countries confirm cases as and when. As on other continents, Africa has rising cases by the hour even as some countries holding out.
Below is the breakdown
- The Gambia became the 31st infected reporting a case on March 17 of a national returning from the United Kingdom.
- Djibouti reported a case on March 18 involving a Spanish national on military assignment.
- Zambia has reported its first two cases, according to Mwebantu news portal.
- Mauritius reported its first cases on March 18, becoming the 34th infected African country.
- Chad reported first case on March 19 becoming 35th.
- Niger, via a tweet by President Issoufou, reported its index case on March 19 becoming 36th.
- Cape Verde reported on March 20 that a British national had tested positive becoming its index patient in that country.
- Zimbabwe on March 20 confirmed its index case, becoming 38th infected country and fifth in the southern Africa region.
- Uganda, Eritrea, Angola and Madagascar recorded index cases on March 21.
- Mozambique confirmed its first case on March 22 becoming the 43rd infected nation.
North Africa
- Algeria – 201
- Egypt – 294
- Morocco – 109
- Tunisia – 75
- Virus-free – Western Sahara, Libya
West Africa
- Benin – 2
- Burkina Faso – 75
- Ghana – 24
- Guinea – 2
- Ivory Coast – 21
- Liberia – 3
- Mauritania – 2
- Nigeria – 36
- Senegal – 67
- Togo – 16
- The Gambia – 1
- Niger – 1
- Cape Verde – 3
- Virus-free – Sierra Leone, Mali, Guinea-Bissau
Central Africa
- Cameroon – 40
- Central African Republic – 3
- Congo-Brazzaville – 4
- DR Congo – 23
- Equatorial Guinea – 6
- Gabon – 6
- Chad – 1
- Virus-free – Sao Tome and Principe
Southern Africa
- Eswatini – 1
- Namibia – 3
- South Africa – 402
- Zambia – 2
- Zimbabwe – 2
- Madagascar – 3
- Angola – 2
- Mozambique – 1
- Virus-free – Malawi, Comoros, Lesotho, Botswana
East Africa
- Ethiopia – 9
- Eritrea – 1
- Uganda – 1
- Kenya – 7
- Rwanda – 17
- Seychelles – 6
- Somalia – 1
- Sudan – 2
- Tanzania – 12
- Djibouti – 1
- Mauritius – 7
- Virus-free – Burundi, South Sudan
Besides washing your hands, phone cleaning is also important
Start by turning off the phone and unplugging all cables. Your phone should not be charging as you clean.
You can use Clorox wipes or wipes with 70 per cent alcohol, which you can get at the drugstore, to wipe down your phone.
Apple, which cautions against using household cleaners on its phones, says do that “gently.”
AT&T further recommends wringing out disinfectant wipes before using them on a phone.
You can also use soft cloths to clean the phone, like a microfiber cleaning cloth or the cloths used to clean camera lenses or your glasses.